Rooney leads the tributes

WAYNE Rooney hailed his pal and undisputed world light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton by saying: "He's my hero!" The United ace carried Hatton's IBO championship belt into the ring in Las Vegas and afterwards shared a table with the Hitman in a post-fight knees-up at the plush Wynn Hotel.

The United ace carried Hatton's IBO championship belt into the ring in Las Vegas and afterwards shared a table with the Hitman in a post-fight knees-up at the plush Wynn Hotel.

Hatton has spent the last fortnight extolling the virtues of the young England star, and after watching his pal demolish Jose Luis Castillo with a wicked fourth-round body shot, Rooney returned the compliment.

"He's most definitely a hero of mine. Ricky used to box with my cousin and from being seven or eight I used to go to all the fights, so I have seen him when they were both on the same shows.

"Since he started his pro career I have watched most of his fights on TV, so to be in Vegas was brilliant.

"He's a good friend, but he's also a hero of mine because of the way he boxes and the way he does his job. I was more nervous than I am for United. To walk in alongside Barrera was unbelievable. To be part of it I am obviously overjoyed and proud."

"To put a Mexican on the floor like that and to make him quit, that is a phenomenal performance. He knew he had to impress. I said before it would be the ultimate victory if he was to beat a Mexican by outpowering him on the inside because Castillo is an expert inside fighter.

"Castillo landed a couple of low blows and the referee was right to jump in, but in the end Hatton's power just came through."

Former WBA featherweight champion Barry McGuigan admits the world is now Hatton's oyster, with fights against Oscar de la Hoya or Miguel Cotto now a possibility, but the Ulsterman said: "I would say the likelihood is a fight against Shane Mosley, I get the feeling it's a fight that can be made very quickly."